


Whispers of a Long Forgotten Memory

by FireEye



Category: Final Fantasy VI
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 08:15:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29240454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireEye/pseuds/FireEye
Summary: By the campfire, Celes jogs Terra's memory.
Relationships: Terra Branford & Celes Chere
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	Whispers of a Long Forgotten Memory

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Siver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siver/gifts).



When Celes gets up – more because she can’t sleep than because she’s had enough – Terra is humming a tune.

It’s quiet, under her breath, as she watches the campfire crackle and burn. She falters, the melody fades, and after a moment of silent contemplation, she picks it up from the beginning again.

Celes listens quietly, at the edge of the light. It’s still an hour to dawn, if dawn will come, and the others are still asleep.

Terra falters again, at the same point in the song.

Starts over again.

This time, when she reaches the portion she forgot, Celes joins in – carrying the tune past the broken bridge for her, until she’s reached the end of the song.

Terra’s head whips towards her in surprise. Celes thinks, perplexed, that she has to have known she was there.

But then, she realizes, it’s not about her at all.

“You know it?”

Celes nods. She’s surprised that Terra has forgotten it, but Terra has forgotten so many things.

“Where’s it from?” Terra asks, a soft desperation in her voice. “I hear it... _parts_ of it. But it’s like... like a dream.”

A part of Celes wants to protect her. But Celes knows what it’s like, to want to know the truth. And so, she sighs, buying a scant few moments more.

“A woman used to sing it,” she explains. “In the Imperial Palace; she minded the children. The... _gifted_ children.”

Terra grows quiet again. Celes hopes she doesn’t ask-

“There were others?”

Biting her lip, Celes nods.

“What happened to them? To the woman...?”

Celes’ fingers find the pommel of her sword.

“I... don’t know,” she admits. “In the end, she didn’t agree with the Emperor’s edicts. The others... some died, some were... less gifted... than what was called for. The rest might still be in the Empire’s service.”

Terra studies her hands.

The Empire’s greatest weapon.

The fire crackles on.

Under her breath, Terra starts humming again.

**Author's Note:**

> ...i only first thought of the humming bit, then it went and got a teeny tiny plot. I hope you enjoy it, anyhow. :)


End file.
